Easy Jamaican rasta pasta recipe that is flavorful, creamy, and made with colored bell peppers, chicken, cream, parmesan cheese, and seasoning. This jerk chicken pasta is quick to make and a perfect main dish for brunch or dinner. Learn how to make rasta pasta from scratch with this step by step guide plus video recipe.
500gPastaPenne, fusili, bow tie or any short pasta.
500gChicken breasts or boneless thighs
3tablespoonsJerk SeasoningHalved
3clovesGarlicminced
3sprigsSpring onions
1eachRed, green and yellow Bell peppers
¾cupHeavy creamor double cream or coconut milk
¼cupBroth
3tablespoonsParmesan cheese
2tablespoonsOilvegetable, sunflower or coconut oil
Saltto taste
Parsley to garnishoptional
Instructions
Season the chicken breasts with salt and half of the jerk seasoning. Mix well.If you have time leave to marinate for about an hour. If not move on to the next step.
Add oil in a skillet, frying pan or pot, then add in the seasoned chicken breasts. Leave to cook for about 7 minutes then turn over to cook and brown the other side for another 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, cut and set aside.
Cook the pasta- boil water in a large pot, salt the water, add your pasta, stir, and cook according to the packet instructions or until it is al dente. When it's cooked, drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process then set aside.Do not overcook your pasta or cover while boiling.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a pot, then add in the bell peppers, garlic, spring onions. Sautee for a minute then add the remaining half of the jerk seasoning. Stir then add in the heavy cream or coconut milk, and broth to the pot.
Stir and let it thicken (this takes about 4-6 minutes) before adding the parmesan cheese.
When the cheese is melted, add the pasta and chicken to the pot and mix until well combined.
Let it simmer for a few minutes and garnish with the chopped parsley.Take off heat and serve.
Video
Notes
TIPS
Cook your pasta Al dente. Your pasta should have a soft bite when you bite into it.
You can adjust the jerk seasoning to suit your taste and add more peppers if you want it spicier.
This recipe uses three colors of Bell pepper; red, yellow, and green. You can adjust based on what you have available.
You can use already cooked jerk chicken if doing so skip the first step and move to step 3 of the directions.
It's best served hot.
VARIATIONSOxtail - substitute the chicken for oxtail and follow the same process detailed in this post.Shrimp - Substitute the chicken for shrimp. I love shrimps and I like to use jumbo shrimps for this as not only is it delicious, but it's faster to cook than chicken. You only need to brown the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side instead of 7 minutes for chicken.Vegetarian - Substitute chicken for Tofu or other acceptable substitutes and use coconut milk. Also, use vegetable bouillon.